Parking restrictions and bus stop coming for Coley

Construction is currently being undertaken to build 46 council homes at the Wensley Road loop in Coley.

As part of the development, the council proposed road changes which involve installing a bus stop, imposing parking restrictions and making a one-way system within the housing development.

A new permanent bus stop will replace the temporary one opposite 180 Wensley Road which has been in place since construction work on the new homes began.

READ MORE: Road changes coming for Reading neighbourhood plagued by parking problems

Changes to Wensley Road were discussed at a council meeting.

Councillor Paul Gittings, who represents the area, welcomed the changes on behalf of his colleagues Liz Terry and Ellie Emberson (all Labour, Coley).

Cllr Gittings said: “We welcome this development, not least because it’s a sign we are moving towards the end of the first stage of the development in Wensley Road, which is the building of 46 council homes and some associated improvements to the whole high-rise area including new playgrounds and other amenities for residents, which I have to say, has not been an easy road, if I can use that analogy.

Some of the new homes in the process of being built by contractors for Reading Borough Council in Wensley Road, Coley. Credit: Google Maps

“We have faced quite a lot of opposition locally, not so from council residents but from others, some of it was quite unfriendly, and we faced opposition at the planning stage.

“I’m proud to say that myself and cllrs Emberson and Terry stuck to our guns on this, and we’ve worked with council officers to arrive at a really good thing for Coley to construct the council houses and these other extra facilities.

“It hasn’t been easy, but the end is in sight, certainly of the first phase, which is the building of the properties.”

A CGI of the Reading Borough Council development in Wensley Road, Coley, with 46 homes being built. Credit: Reading Borough Council

Cllr Gittings also welcomed the planning introduction of a pedestrian crossing to give safer walking access to Courage Park north of Wensley Road.

Furthermore, double yellow lines will be added to the junctions created for the council homes to clamp down on poor parking.

Cllr Gittings said: “We don’t want people parked higgeldy piggeldy at those junctions.”

A diagram of proposed traffic changes at the Wensley Road loop in Coley, involving parking restrictions and a one way system through a new council estate of 46 homes. Credit: JNP Group

The council development is made up of a mix of flats and terraces that replace a road and unused land in the area.

While some parking space will be lost to establish the new bus stop, the council development provides an extra 38 parking spaces.

Two existing speed bumps will be moved to accommodate junctions for the development as well.

Councillors on the traffic management sub-committee unanimously approved the changes at its meeting on Thursday, January 11.